Picky kittens

Question
Hi - I have two 8 month old brother-kittens  (about 10 and 11 pounds) and they've been very picky about their eating. I feed each of them 1.5oz of Nutro-Max-Kitten wet food mixed in with 1/4 cup of Wellness kitten food twice a day. They have always been slightly picky and need to be coaxed into eating, but lately it has gotten much worse.

Both eat about 1/2 their food on average - sometimes one eats more and the other even less or it's the other way around. Often I will feel bad about them not eating and will feed them with a spoon, but that is turning into a nightmare with me running after them and them nibbling once in a while to toy with me.

I am a grad student who also teaches, so I don't have the same schedule for each day, so although I've tried to feed them timed (I pick the food up after 15-20min), it's often disrupted by a couple of hours here and there. Does that completely ruin the idea of timed feeding? Do they need a sharp time, or can it be within a window of a couple of hours?

Also, thinking about giving them 3oz of wet food (each) in the morning (their daily allowance) and then leave the 1/2 cup of dry for each kitten to eat during the day. There is, however one problem.. the slightly smaller (10-lb) and less aggressive one likes the wet food better, so I'm worried that the bigger (11-lb), more aggressive (although still a darling - they seem to get along well) one will eat the majority of the dry food during the day.

This is mainly out of concern that they're not eating and don't know EXACTLY when they're going to get food, which makes me feel awful, but also because I'm frustrated and worried and can't seem to do anything that works.

Their food pattern/habits/likes/schedule have not been very consistent, so I don't think there is any more information. I just need help! Is there any solution?

Thank you so much!

Answer
Hi - I sure do understand your problem with schedules and feeding.
JUST do the best you can!  Continue to offer a wet food in the am - give a better quality food like Merrick, Innova, or Wellness for cats.  Also, give the dry food as needed - just put down enough for the two of them and let it sit.  At night, when you get home give them each some more WET quality food.

WET food is much better for them than dry.  Dry is good but the wet food helps to prevent kidney problems and failure.

Have fun with the kittens!!!!

Marie Peppers LPN MA
Ask the pet nurse............
mtnmom@gci.net